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M&P trouble. Bad QC?

11B2O

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
94
Location
High Point, NC
I own 2 m&p 9's. A full size for OC and a compact for CC. When I bought the fullsize I had shot less then 100 rounds through it before a small spring inside broke and caused it to be unable to be reassembled. I sent it back to S&W and they fixed it right away. Gun performs flawlessly now to this day. Recently I just picked up the compact. Again, I have shot less than 100 rounds through it and it is having a problem deactivating the sear to let me break it down. Sear deactivation lever is now stuck. Had to just send it off to S&W and hopefully arrives back fixed soon. Both were brand new guns when I bought them. Seems like S&W is slipping on their quality control. Might have to go back to carrying Glock :p

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Gil223

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
1,392
Location
Weber County Utah
Although my experience with S&W autoloaders is about 25 years old, I found them to be a bit fragile compared to Colt, Glock and several others, which is why I haven't owned one in the last 25(±) years. On the other hand, S&W wheel guns seem to be indestructible. Going back to a Glock carry gun isn't a bad idea. I have no idea how you could get a Glock to fail. As with S&W revolvers, my Glocks seem to be indestructible, and have been my primary carry gun for the last 25 years or so. As you have discovered, S&W will correct defects in any of their guns free of charge, and they will undoubtedly fix your CC M&P. However, Glocks don't seem to be able to find their way back to Smyrna, GA. ;) Pax...
 

11B2O

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
94
Location
High Point, NC
Well I've put plenty of rounds through my full size since getting fixed and it performs like a champ. I did have a Glock fail one time. Round failed to fire, but my Glock 23 failed to extract. Had to use my Gerber to pry the slide back bc it was stuck. So I guess anything is possible. Just wish the m&p's weren't failing right out of the factory. Or could be a good thing, as opposed to failing in combat. Just depends on how you loom at it. I will probably stick with the m&p unless anymore problems arise in them. If that's the case, then I'm swapping out for a glock 19 and glock 26

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Wolfstanus

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2012
Messages
126
Location
Colorado springs
I think you are are overlaying the failures. All guns have Monday/Friday things. When I had a M&P it had no problems ever. Sold it to my brother because he needed a gun.
 

TOF

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Happy Jack, Arizona, USA
I would be interested to hear a bit more about the spring that prevents reassembly. The need to reassemble indicates it was dissassembled at less than 100 rounds. How far down did you take it and which spring failed?

I have had some spring failures also. My full size 40 required a new recoil spring at around 16,000 rounds. The trigger spring on my 45 full size showed wear on the trigger spring forward loop at 17,000 rounds so was replaced. Neither spring caused actual malfunction.

I have decided to evaluate all springs every 10,000 rounds and replace as necessary.
 

11B2O

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
94
Location
High Point, NC
I just broke it down into the normal major components: slide, receiver and pistol grip, recoil spring, and barrel. It was the safety plunger spring, which I'm assuming its the one that keeps tension on the safety, but how that prevented from reassembly, I don't know.

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waterfowl woody

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
137
Location
Silvana, Washington, USA
Did the M&P have the sear disconnect lever in the mag well that needs to be down to field strip?
If so was it down when you tried to reassemble? If assembled with it up the slide will lock hard on the frame.
 

11B2O

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
94
Location
High Point, NC
No sear deactivation lever was lowered. On the compact it got stuck.

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TOF

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Happy Jack, Arizona, USA
In order to even see the safety plunger spring you have to take it down further than you indicate. The only way to access it is by removing the rear sight. If removed, it is possible to reinstall the plunger spring incorrectly resulting in ajammed plunger and deforming the spring.Did you by chance also lose the small disk that sets between sight and spring?

I have never had a jammed safety plunger but can envision it causing problems.

Did you replace the rear sight?

Once you get them back don't break them down quite so far in the future.

Good luck
 
Last edited:

skeith5

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
356
Location
United States
I have a fullsize M&P 9MM and love it. I have had a couple problems extracting a round but I believe that is solely due to me not taper crimping the round enough. I haven't had any failures on factory ammo. I have about 1000 rounds through it with trigger work done and an apex RAM.

Scott
 

Steveboos

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2012
Messages
50
Location
Charlotte, NC
I have a feeling this is an issue with the take-down of the firearm. I've seen hundreds of rounds go through an M&P with no issues. Not to mention it's the service weapon for a lot of local agencies here. They wouldn't chose a firearm with QC issues. I've never heard of any other issues with the M&P series while using Brass ammo.
 

11B2O

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
94
Location
High Point, NC
In order to even see the safety plunger spring you have to take it down further than you indicate. The only way to access it is by removing the rear sight. If removed, it is possible to reinstall the plunger spring incorrectly resulting in ajammed plunger and deforming the spring.Did you by chance also lose the small disk that sets between sight and spring?

I have never had a jammed safety plunger but can envision it causing problems.

Did you replace the rear sight?

Once you get them back don't break them down quite so far in the future.

Good luck

I didn't take it down that far, nor do I even know how to take it apart more than your basic level 1 disassembly. The only reason I know that it was a bad safety plunger spring is when S&W sent my gun back fixed and had my old spring taped up saying "safety plunger spring" lol :D

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waterfowl woody

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
137
Location
Silvana, Washington, USA
The safety must of been on when you reassembled and bound up the spring. Take your time when you field strip your weapon.
I have put a couple thousand rounds through my M&P 40c and no issues to this day, also I own one without all the safety bull pucky on it.
Good gun just like my glocks. S&W are good people and will continue to fix your weapon for life.
 
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